Financing Human Development in India: Strategies and Options

Abstract

India is ranked fairly high amongst the countries in terms of out of pocket expenditure by its citizens on health and education. India is ranked 134th on the Human Development Index (2011 ranking). Public expenditure on human development is given increasing emphasis but the desired results remain elusive as the expenditure on social services hardly benefits the needy because of leakages and wastage. Only well targeted expenditures coupled with sound implementation can benefit the poor. As indicated by Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2009, in terms of realization of objectives of Right to Education Act and consequently the increased public funding of primary education, the situation is grim. Similarly the ambitious program like National Rural Health Mission (NHRM) too failed to bring about any significant improvement in health indicators. This paper seeks to find what should be the different mechanisms for achieving these objectives or the country will be able to come out of this trap situation with the persuasion of the current strategy with certain time lag?